Senator Orji Kalu Calls on President Tinubu to Recognize MKO Abiola as a Former President
Senator Orji Kalu Calls on President Tinubu to Recognize MKO Abiola as a Former President
Senator Orji Kalu Urges President Tinubu to Recognize MKO Abiola as a Former Nigerian President
Former Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to officially recognize the late Chief MKO Abiola as one of Nigeria’s past presidents.
According to Naija News, Kalu made this appeal while speaking with Senate correspondents on Tuesday before the commencement of plenary. His remarks followed revelations in the recently released memoir of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.), who admitted that Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Kalu urged Tinubu to honor Abiola by placing his portrait alongside those of Nigeria’s past leaders in the Presidential Villa. He commended former President Muhammadu Buhari for posthumously conferring a national honor on Abiola but emphasized the need for further recognition.
“Yes, Abiola won the election. And I will say President Tinubu should declare him a president posthumously,” Kalu stated. “Since Abiola won, his picture should be placed among Nigeria’s past presidents. I commend former President Buhari for giving him a national honor, but I also appeal to President Tinubu to officially recognize him and place his image where it belongs. This would help bring succor to his family.”
Furthermore, Kalu described Babangida’s memoir as incomplete, urging him to release a second volume that fully addresses the circumstances surrounding the annulment of the June 12 election.
“I look forward to the second edition of Babangida’s book because the first did not reveal all the realities. I was present during the events of June 12, and I know what happened. Babangida should call out the names of those responsible for preventing the election declaration,” he added.
Kalu also dismissed claims that the 1966 coup was an ethnic conspiracy, clarifying that it was a national event orchestrated by the military rather than an Igbo-led initiative.
